The EA Sports UFC Game- How it should have been done.

EA Sports, never a company to sit on its rear when it comes to pimping a game- is going to have another cover tournament.

16 fighters to be on the Cover of EA Sports UFC

Jon Jones is of course the cover guy- but who is going to be standing with him?

The Brackets are out, and Chael Sonnen is Sonnen is pushing for it to be him, of course. Well, not exactly Brackets, but the first round matchups. I guess they are going with the Bellator model, going to pick the matchups after getting the winners.

But lets be honest, who should be on the cover next to Jones?

Uh, lets all pretend its not going to be GSP, work with me people. Unless Canada doesn’t have the internet, its gonna be Jones/GSP.

– Ok, unless its Rhonda. We have to have Rhonda/GSP in the Finals right?

I don’t quite understand why they picked some that they did. Meisha Tate? She’s got what, a 10% chance of beating Ronda? Its gonna be funny if Meisha beats Rhonda to knock her off the cover, then loses in the fight. Meisha isn’t even the number 1 contender! Why have JDS when you don’t have CAIN? Guffy just lost. I can see that- but why?

With the Interim champ taking Jones’ spot on the left hand high seed side, it works out well, if we Match Cruz and Barao.

That being said, there are 2 obvious ones to throw up there.
10. Anderson Silva
11. Uriah Faber.

Anderson Silva is the longtime champ, and former cover star, and lets be honest, most expect him to be champion by the time the game comes out.
Faber is insanely popular with fight fans, and girls that love one Direction. . Sorry, but it happens.
I’m not sure how a Weidman/Faber contest would go, but I would bet on Faber winning that before I would bet on him capturing 135 Gold again.

So who else DESERVES?
I guess we have to have 12. Chael Sonnen. He’s popular- being on UFC tonight, and will definately pimp the contest more than EA will as long as he’s alive.

Personally, I would put 13. Gilbert Melendez on there. You have to add in a bit to the Mexican Community, not just having Cain, and with his fight of the year candidate fight with Diego Sanchez, someone who can have some serious highlight potential.
Next up should be 14. Daniel Cormier I don’t like him to ever see gold as long as Jones can make 205, but he’s also on TV, and Dana has a hard-on for this guy. He’s the Ultimate Warrior to Dana’s Vinnie Mac.
I could see him as vailid.

So who DESERVES the last spot?
I would also throw 15 Rashad Evans in there over Bisping. Evans is popular to a certain extent, but he’s also a top contender, and could very well be a Hall of Famer- maybe the first legitimate one to come out of TUF.

Finally, I would love to say Vitor Belfort, just because he’s been around so long, and he’s on a winning streak, and by the same token, if Tim Kennedy wins, that adds a military component left vacant by Brian Stann’s retirement. I could also see the Korean Zombie in there, I know Dana White loves him some Zombie. How about 16. Benson Henderson? He’s been all over Fox, and he’s a major selling point in Asia, and he loves to promote. I’ll give Benson the last spot. He’s in the EA Tourney as well.

So drop Guffy, Hendricks, Bisping, Meisha and JDS for CAIN, Rashad, Gilbert, Anderson and Barao, I got 4 former/current champions and the Strikeforce Champion. You got 4 people either the odds say will be coming off title losses or just lost, and a guy that is 0-3 in number 1 contenders fights.

So If I’m EA and charged with setting upi the Bracket.

I have two classes.
The 9 Champions- Meaning each Division, minus Jones, but I add in Barao. Plus 7 other contenders.

I have 3 “rules”
1. I want a GSP/Rhonda Finals
2. I want Mighty Mouse and Sonnen to last as long as possible.,
3. I don’t want my champions to look bad, if at all possible, unless, of course, they don’t draw.

I don’t seed the people, I act as if its a random draw for the champions, and a random draw for the 7 fighters to fill in.

1. GSP vs Rashad Evans.

GSP is gonna win this thing, and Rashad is popular. Plus the Bellweather Diviosn as far a PPV only has 1 entrant- Cormier, and Lord knows I don’t want Phil Davis on there.

8/9 Weidman/Anderson.
I need to keep my Champion Happy, and not disrespect my current chhmpion. If Weidman wins this rematch, he might be able to beat the Spider a third time in Internet love.

5/12 Jose Aldo vs Benson

If Aldo cannot draw, or Benson is just not getting any love, I’ll find out here.

4/13 Mighty Mouse vs Gilbert

I love Gilbert, but I have to let Mighty Mouse get through.

In Round 2, I’ll also find out if Mighty Mouse has a lot of love vs the winner.

3/14 CAIN vs Uriah Faber

I need to make my Champion Strong. But Faber is going to wax any champion except GSP, and lord knows I cannot have GSP drop in the Pre-Lims.

6/11 Barao vs Cruz

They are finally going to fight. I need to match them up, right?

7/11 Sonnen vs Pettis

Yeah I know Pettis may lose here. But Pettis might actually get a little love here. He also seems to do better when he’s not respected. All good for his title run!

2/15 Rhonda vs Cormier

DC is loved by the powers that be, but again, I cannot have Rhonda lose- I also can’t have him running roughshod over the lighter weight classes.

Lets look at the real Brackets.

Nothing like dropping 2 champions out of the gate- you know, since 2 are not in there anyway.